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Walt Disney World is a tribute to the philosophy and life of
Walter Elias Disney... and to the talents, the dedication, and the
loyalty of the entire Disney organization that made Walt Disney's
dream come true. May Walt Disney World bring Joy and Inspiration
and New Knowledge to all who come to this happy place... a Magic
Kingdom where the young at heart of all ages can laugh, and play,
and learn ... together.

The
Magic Kingdom is the heart of Walt Disney World. When people mention
Disney more times than not magic, fantasy, and Mickey Mouse come
to mind. The Magic Kingdom is the center of all this. Here illusion
comes to life.

Most people confuse the Magic Kingdom with Walt Disney World. The
Magic Kingdom is only one theme park covering only around 100 acres
of Walt Disney World's 27,000+ acres . It was the first Disney park
opened in Orlando. The Magic Kingdom is basically an enlarged version
of Disneyland (CA), for those of you who have visited the original.
The two parks share many attractions and have a common layout. When
walking around one or the other you will feel hints of similarity,
but then realize its quite different. The overall feeling of the
two parks is quite different. The Magic Kingdom in Florida is much
larger and feels very spread out. While Disneyland feels much more
intimate. The other difference is the type of guest you find in
the parks. At Disneyland you are much more likely to run into "locals"
than you are at WDW.

One other misconception we here regularly is people
calling the Magic Kingdom, Disneyland, which it is not..

Geek's Thoughts & Suggestions

When going to the Magic Kingdom I think you
really need to be aware of the crowds and what they are doing. The
difference between a good visit and a great visit to the park is
the amount of time you spend waiting in line. I personally hate
lines so I avoid them like the plague, but that does not mean that
I miss any attractions either. The key is timing and a little luck.
First off be warned that Friday and Saturday are generally the busiest
days of the week. You must prioritize your goals before you arrive
and have a general idea of where everything is and how to get there.
The worst thing to do is show up on Main Street in the late morning
and have no idea what to do and everyone around you is running for
there first destinations and you are trying to read the map. To
get acquainted with the park you can visit Disney's Website and
look at the maps, or write Disney and they will mail you a guidebook
or you can try one of the many books or websites(hint this site)
that are out on WDW. Take advantage of Disney's
FastPass system and when used properly it does work.
Check out the FastPass
page for more information and strategies.

Keep in mind that you can do the most in the early morning, late
at night, and when it is raining. The rain drives people away from
the park, and if you don't mind getting wet it is a great time to
see some of the popular attractions. Most attractions are indoors
so they do not close down in the rain. Also it is fairly easy to
get around without having to walk in the rain the whole way(I am
not saying you will be dry, but you won't be soakn' wet either).

In the middle of the day try to go to the really big theaters,
shows and/or parades. I think they really add to the overall experience
and they sure beat standing in line for an hour or two to go on
a one minute ride in ninety degree weather. Another nice thing to
do in the middle of the day (if your not rushed on days) is to leave
the park and experience some of the surrounding area. Go to the
resorts on the monorail line. Take a boat ride on the Seven Seas
Lagoon or Bay Lake.

One additional note about the Magic Kingdom is this park attracts
the most small children. Yes, WDW is a family destination, but in
recent years they have been aggressively marketing to other audiences,
and its working. While traveling around WDW you will see a much
wider spectrum of demographics. The "younger" demographic at the
Magic Kingdom leads to much longer lines in the morning and early
afternoon. By night fall many of these young kids are starting to
tire out and the lines become much more bearable.

A great way to experience the Disney parks is
by taking a guided tour. Disney offers several. Check out our Guided
Tours section for more information. The Magic Kingdom's tours
are listed below:

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